In-line gift card personalization and packaging process

ABSTRACT

A machine that processes gift cards in an in-line process where the gift cards travel along a generally straight transport path from a card feed mechanism to a delivery end where the cards and carrier combinations are discharged. During the in-line processing, a magnetic stripe, integrated circuit chip or RFID tag on the gift cards can be encoded with account information, a serial number or other information. In addition, the cards are transported to a print mechanism that personalizes the cards with a bar code, account information, serial number or other information. After printing, the cards are transported to a gluing system which applies adhesive to one side of the cards. The cards are then transported to a feeding mechanism that feeds and applies a carrier to one or more cards.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to processes and equipment for in-linepersonalization and packaging of plastic cards such as gift cards.

BACKGROUND

There is increasing presence and use of gift cards in society. Giftcards are typically plastic cards that are attached to a carrier orbacker for point-of-purchase display or retail fulfillment. A gift cardcan be purchased and has a value assigned to the card to allow the giftcard to be used like cash to make purchases. Often, a gift card can berecharged to increase the balance remaining on the card.

The common method of processing gift cards involves personalization ofthe cards on one machine in a plant, re-palletizing or stacking thepersonalized cards, and then moving the cards to another location in theplant for affixing and final packaging. This is a problem operationally,as it requires floor space, manpower, and the risk of lost or damagedcards as they are moved about the plant. Plus, more days in the queuemeans less overall throughput of finished gift cards from the factory,meaning less total revenues and carrying costs.

There is a need for improvements in processes and equipment forpersonalizing and packaging gift cards.

SUMMARY

Improvements in processes and equipment for personalizing and packaginggift cards are described. The processes and equipment result in improvedproduction rates, for example up to 20,000 or more gift card/carriercombinations per hour, minimize floor space, minimize capital equipmentinvestment on the part of gift card manufacturers, minimize the amountof labor required to produce the gift cards, and minimizeswork-in-process where cards are in the manufacturing process, but arenot yet complete and ready for shipment to the end user/customer.

The gift cards are processed in an in-line process where the gift cardstravel along a generally straight transport path from a card feedmechanism to a delivery end where the cards and carrier combinations aredischarged. During the in-line processing, a magnetic stripe, integratedcircuit chip (if present) or a radio frequency (RFID) tag on the giftcards can be encoded with account information, a serial number or otherinformation. The machine can also read the magnetic stripe, theintegrated circuit chip (if present) or the RFID tag to log the giftcard, which can be used to, for example, determine the card and based onthe reading, print information on the card and/or encode the magneticstrip, the chip or the RFID tag.

In addition, the cards are transported to a print mechanism thatpersonalizes the cards with a bar code, account information, serialnumber or other information. After printing, the cards are transportedto a gluing system which applies adhesive to one side of cards. Thecards are then transported to a feeding mechanism that feeds and appliesa carrier to one or more cards.

The information applied by the print mechanism generally corresponds tothe information encoded on the card. For example, if the informationencoded on a gift card is an account number, and the print mechanismapplies a bar code, the bar code will match the account number. Ifdesired, a camera system or the like can be provided to verify the matchof the printed information to the encoded information, as well asplacement of the printed information.

The print mechanism can be, for example, an inkjet printhead, preferablya drop on demand (DOD) printhead that prints with ultraviolet (UV) ink.The use of a UV DOD head allows for faster printing speeds and/or higherprint quality than other printing methods using water or solvent-basedinks/methods. In the case of a UV DOD head, a UV lamp will be providedto cure the UV ink. If the faster print speed or print quality of a UVDOD head is not required, other types of printing techniques that useother types of printheads can be used.

In one embodiment, a scratch-off label is applied over secureinformation on the card, for example a pin number or other secureinformation.

Cards that are not encoded or printed properly are diverted after beingattached to a carrier. The computer controller/software preferably hasthe ability to log the bad card and carrier combination, and do anautomatic remake of the card and carrier. This is important as some endcustomers require that the order be shipped 100% inspected, verified andcomplete, with no missing numbers and no duplicate numbers.

In other embodiments, the carriers can be printed with informationcorresponding to information on the cards. In addition, the card andcarrier combination can be wrapped or packaged in-line.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of in-line gift card processing machineincorporating the inventive concepts.

FIG. 2 is a to view of the machine in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an inline gift card processing machine10 is illustrated. The machine 10 includes a card feed mechanism 12, apersonalization portion 14 and an affixing portion 16. The feedmechanism 12 is configured to hold a plurality of gift cards, forexample CR-80 sized gift cards, waiting to be processed by the machine10, and to feed the cards one at a time into the machine. Thepersonalization portion 14 is provided with one or more mechanismsconfigured to perform personalization operations on each card. Theaffixing portion 16 is configured to take a card that has beenpersonalized, apply an adhesive to the card, and affix the card to acarrier.

The personalization portion 14 described herein is generally similar tothe CPST MJ7500 machine available from DataCard Ga-Vehren Corp. of St.Louis, Miss., which is a gift card personalization system thatincorporates magnetic stripe encoding and UV printing. The affixingportion 16 described herein is generally similar to the DGV300 machineavailable from DataCard Ga-Vehren Corp. of St. Louis, Miss., which is agift card packaging system that applies adhesive to gift cards that aremanually loaded into the system and then affixes the gift cards tocarriers.

Personalization as used herein means the application of information tothe card that is unique to the card. Unlike other types of plasticcards, such as credit cards or identification cards, the informationadded to the card is not specific to an individual as the ultimate userof the card is not typically known at the time of processing the cardwith the machine 10.

Processing of the gift cards by the machine 10 occurs in-line, where thegift cards travel along a generally straight transport path from thecard feed mechanism 12, through the personalization portion 14, throughthe affixing portion 16, to a delivery section 18. In the illustratedembodiment, the cards are actually “face down” as they travel throughthe machine 10, with the back surface of the card facing upward.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the personalization portion 14includes an encoding station 20 and a print station 22. The encodingstation 20 is configured to encode information onto a storage mechanismon the card, for example a magnetic stripe, an integrated circuit chipor an RFID tag. The station 20 can be configured to encode informationonto one or more than one of these storage mechanisms. Information thatcan be encoded includes an account number, a serial number or otherinformation that is unique to each individual card. While the encodingstation 20 is illustrated as being separate from the card feed mechanism12, the card feed mechanism can include encoding capability such thatencoding occurs in the mechanism 12. After encoding, the encodedinformation can be read by a suitable reader to confirm that the cardwas encoded properly by comparing the read encoded information against adatabase containing information that was used to produce the encodedinformation.

The station 20 or a separate station can also read the magnetic stripe,the integrated circuit chip (if present) or the RFID lag to log the giftcard. The information read can then be used to, for example, determinethe card and based en the reading, print information on the card and/orencode the magnetic strip, the chip or the RFID tag.

The print station 22 is configured to personalize the cards with a barcode, account information, serial number or other information thatgenerally corresponds to the information encoded on the cards. The printmechanism is for example, an inkjet printhead, preferably a drop ondemand (DOD) printhead that prints with ultraviolet (UV) ink. The use ofa UV DOD head allows for faster printing speeds and/or higher printquality than other printing methods using water or solvent-basedinks/methods. If the faster print speed or print quality of a UV DODhead is not required, other types of printing techniques that use othertypes of printheads can be used.

The printing preferably occurs on the back side (i.e. upward facingside) of the card. However, if desired, a mechanism could be provided toflip the card to allow the print station 22 to print on the front sideof the card, and after printing, flip the card again so that the card isagain front side down. Alternatively, a suitable print mechanism couldbe provided under the card path to permit printing on the front side ofthe card without flipping the card.

After printing, the UV ink is cured by transporting the card under a DVlamp 24. In addition, a camera system (mot shown) verifies the match ofthe printed information, for example a bar code, to the encodedinformation, as well as placement of the printed information on thecards. To verify a bar code, a commercially available barcode scannercan be provided to actually “read” the bar code. The information readfrom the bar code is then compared to the information encoded on thecard. The verification occurs by comparing the information read from thebar code against the information that is stored in the database that wasused to produce the encoded information. Since the encoded informationis earlier compared against the database information, by comparing theNo code information against the database information, one can determinewhether the bar code information matches the encoded information.Alternatively, the camera up verify the bar code by capturing an imageof the bar code, and software in the system controller actually decodesthe bar code. Either method can be used, depending upon how one choosesto configure the machine.

A labeler station 26 is optionally included that is configured to applya scratch-off label over secure information on the cards, for exampleover a pin number. In certain applications where security concerns aresatisfied, a peel-off label could be used instead of a scratch-offlabel.

The cards are then transported to the affixing portion 16 which takesthe personalized cards and attaches them to carriers. The affixingportion 16 includes an adhesive station 28 which applies an adhesive tothe back surface of the cards so that the cards are ultimately adheredto the carriers with the front surface of the card visible. The adhesivecan be any adhesive suitable for adhering the cards to a carrier. Forexample, the adhesive can be a hot melt glue.

After the adhesive is applied, the cards are transported to a feedmechanism 30 that feeds carriers one-by-one and affixes the carriers toone or more cards. Typically, a single card and a single carrier areaffixed together. However, a plurality of cards can be affixed to asingle carrier. The carriers make the cards suitable forpoint-of-purchase display and are typically printed with informationspecific to the issuer of the gift cards. If desired, the carriers canalso be printed with information corresponding to the informationencoded and printed on the cards, for example with an account number orserial number.

Card and carrier combinations where the cards are properly encoded andprinted are discharged to the delivery section 18. Card and carriercombinations with an improperly encoded or printed card are diverteddiverter 32 prior to reaching the delivery section 18.

In one option, the machine 10 can include an in-line station that wrapsor packages the card and carrier combinations.

Transport of the cards through the machine 10 can occur using transportmechanisms known in the art. For example, a vacuum transport belt(s) canbe used. Alternatively, drive rollers or a lugged chain or belt can beused.

The invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from thespirit or novel characteristics thereof. The embodiments disclosed inthis application are to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not limitative. The scope of the invention is indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description; and allchanges which come within the meaning and range or equivalency of theclaims are intended to be embraced therein.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of processing gift cards,comprising: feeding individual gift cards one at a time from a card feedmechanism into a processing machine, each gift card including a magneticstripe, an integrated circuit chip, or an RFID tag; using the processingmachine to apply information that is not specific to or associated withan individual on the magnetic stripe, integrated circuit chip or RFIDtag of each gift card fed into the processing machine, after theapplication of the information, using the processing machine to printinformation on a back surface of each gift card, the printed informationis not specific to or associated with an individual and corresponds tothe information applied on the magnetic stripe, integrated circuit chipor RFID tag, and after printing the information, using the processingmachine to affix each gift card to a respective carrier that is suitablefor point-of-purchase display with the back surface facing the carrier,wherein the application of the information, the printing of theinformation, and the affixing are performed in an in-line process alonga straight, continuous mechanical transport path of the gift cardsthrough the processing machine.
 2. The method of claim 1, prior toaffixing the gift card to the carrier, using the processing machine toapply an adherent to the back surface of each gift card and using theadherent to affix the gift cards to their respective carriers.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the printing of the information comprisesusing ultra-violet curable ink, and comprising curing the ultra-violetcurable ink.
 4. The method of claim 1, comprising using the processingmachine to apply a scratch-off or peel-off label to each gift card,wherein the labels are applied over secure information on the giftcards.
 5. The method of claim 1, comprising using the processing machineto verify the printed information or the application of information onthe magnetic stripe, integrated circuit chip or RFID tag.
 6. The methodof claim 4, wherein the secure information comprises a pin number. 7.The method of claim 1, comprising using the processing machine to wrapor package each gift card and carrier as part of the in-line process. 8.The method of claim 1, comprising printing each carrier with informationspecific to the issuer of the gift cards.
 9. The method of claim 1,comprising printing each carrier with information corresponding to theinformation applied on the magnetic stripe, integrated circuit chip orRFID tag of its associated gift card and corresponding to theinformation printed on the back surface of the associated gift card. 10.The method of claim 1, comprising using a camera of the processingmachine to verify the information printed on the back surface of eachgift card.
 11. The method of claim 1, prior to affixing the gift card tothe carrier, printing on either the back surface or a front surface ofeach card, thereafter directing each card into a card flipping mechanismand flipping the card using the card flipping mechanism, and thereafterprinting on the other one of the back surface or the front surface. 12.A method of processing gift cards, comprising: applying information thatis not specific to or associated with an individual on a magnetic stripedisposed on a back surface of a gift card, directly printing informationon the back surface of the gift card using ultra-violet curable ink, theprinted information is not specific to or associated with an individualand corresponds to at least some of the information applied on themagnetic stripe, and after applying the information and printing,affixing the gift card to a carrier that is suitable forpoint-of-purchase display with the back surface facing the carrier,wherein the application of the information, the printing of theinformation, and the affixing are performed in that sequence in anin-line process along a generally straight, continuous mechanicaltransport path of the gift card.
 13. A method of claim 12, furthercomprising reading the information applied on the magnetic stripe andreading the information printed on the back surface of the gift card,and diverting the carrier and the gift card mounted thereon if theinformation read from the magnetic stripe or the printed informationread from the back surface of the gift card does not correspond toinformation in a database.
 14. The method of claim 13, comprisingremaking the gift card and carrier that are diverted.
 15. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the printing is performed by a drop on demandprinthead.
 16. The method of claim 12, wherein after printing and priorto affixing, applying an adhesive to the back surface of each gift card,and thereafter affixing the gift card to the carrier.